The Camberwell Raid (33 page)

‘This is really for us, Cassie?’ breathed Sally.

‘Vhy, that it is,’ said Mr Greenberg, down from his seat and top-hat doffed, ‘and vhat a handsome cart and nags, ain’t it?’

‘Carriage and pair, Mr Greenberg, if you please,’ said Cassie, ‘and all arranged by Boots and Freddy and Horace, Sally.’

‘Oh, I could kiss them all for ever,’ said Sally.

Mr Greenberg, somewhat overcome by the radiance of both brides, dug for his handkerchief and blew his nose. Sally seemed to float up into the landau in her gown. She took her seat opposite the Gaffer, and Mr Brown, following, sat opposite Cassie.

A crowd of fascinated onlookers had gathered by the time the landau moved off. Sally was still breathless, Cassie in sheer delight. Mr Greenberg drove to Browning Street, heading for the Walworth Road and the turn into Larcom Street.

In the Walworth Road, they stopped the traffic and were cheered to the echo. Cassie fluttered her hand in royal acknowledgement of public acclaim, and Sally, coming to, waved at an entranced tram conductor. The Gaffer and Mr Brown exchanged smiles. On the landau went in regal style, carrying the brides to the church, where Freddy and Horace awaited them.

‘Vhat a happy occasion, ain’t it, my beauties?’ said Mr Greenberg to the carriage horses.

The graceful pair nodded, and the carriage turned into Larcom Street, the site of the church and its
vicarage
. Within the church and among the people who had ceremonial duties to perform, only one was suffering worries. That was Horace’s best man, Percy Ricketts.

Percy was still not sure if he ought to include a saucy story in his speech.

Mary Jane Staples
was born, bred and educated in Walworth, and is the author of many bestselling novels, including the ever-popular cockney sagas featuring the Adams family.

Down Lambeth Way

Our Emily

King of Camberwell

On Mother Brown's Doorstep

A Family Affair

Missing Person

Pride of Walworth

Echoes of Yesterday

The Young Ones

The Last Summer

The Family at War

Fire Over London

Churchill's People

Bright Day, Dark Night

Tomorrow is Another Day

The Way Ahead

Year of Victory

The Homecoming

Sons and Daughters

Appointment at the Palace

Changing Times

Spreading Wings

Family Fortunes

A Girl Next Door

Ups and Downs

Out of the Shadows

A Sign of the Times

The Soldier's Girl

 

Two for Three Farthings

The Lodger

Rising Summer

The Pearly Queen

Sergeant Joe

The Trap

The Ghost of Whitechapel

Escape to London

The Price of Freedom

A Wartime Marriage

Katernia's Secret

The Summer Day is Done

The Longest Winter

Natasha's Dream

Nurse Anna's War

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THE CAMBERWELL RAID
A CORGI BOOK : 9780552144698
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781446488324

First publication in Great Britain

PRINTING HISTORY
Corgi edition published 1996

Copyright © Mary Jane Staples 1996

The right of Mary Jane Staples to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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